Well, having had no luck locating the proper owner after posting here and other forums and contacting the vendor, and after discussions with DR and others, I have decided to raffle the mystery tool off. And, I am going to try to turn it into a charity fund raiser in the process, so here goes:

The mystery tool is an Avery Tools model 1310 Heavy Duty Rivet Cutter, still in the plastic bag. Normally $49.00, currently on sale for $36.99.

We will start the bidding at $1. Highest bid gets the tool. I will cover the cost of shipping it to you, and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to charity.

Now, here's where you all come in. I will match the amount of the winning bid, up to the current Avery price, to add to the donation. Doug has agreed to do the same. And we hereby challenge everyone on this forum to do likewise.

To make a bid, simply post on this thread with the amount of your bid. The auction will be kept open for a few days to give everyone time to respond. To add your name to the "matching funds" list, likewise simply post on this thread. We will use the thread to keep track of bids and donations.

For the recipient charity, we have decided on the National Foundation for Transplants, www.transplants.org. The organization is set up to raise money for people in need of life-saving transplants, who cannot afford the cost. Many of you probably first heard about this organization several years ago with the story of Laurie Haynes-Arguello. Laurie is the daughter of Captain Al Haynes of United Flight 232. Laurie was diagnosed with a form of leukemia (aplastic anemia) and required a bone marrow transplant to survive. Through the NFT the money was raised to cover her transplant.

On a personal level, at about the same time that Laurie's story became widely known, I had the good fortune to be selected as an unrelated marrow donor for a 16 year old kid from Pennylvania with aplastic anemia, the same disease that Laurie had. That transplant was a success, and he is doing well today.

While I'm on the soapbox, might as well make a plug for bone marrow donation. I encourage everyone to donate blood, and also to be tested and typed for bone marrow donation. More info on that here: http://www.marrow.org/

But I digress. The point of this is to raise as much as possible, to be donated to the NFT. As many of you know, Bob and Judy Avery of Avery tools lost their grandson Julian to cancer last year. So, I would like to donate all of the money raised to the NFT in the name of Julian Avery and VAF.

So, let the bidding begin. Open up those wallets, it's for a good cause.

Funny, I noticed the lack of all the regular philosophers and long posters here on this thread........come on, you know who you are, I challenge you, cough it up, and top my amount......................

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